As the financial services industry continues to monitor the proceedings in Community Financial Services Association of America v. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, an industry group composed of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), and National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) has filed a brief as amici curiae cautioning the Supreme Court against a ruling that could call into question all of the CFPB’s regulations.… Continue Reading
mortgages
CFPB takes aim at sniping zombie mortgage loans
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) recently issued advisory guidance on the enforcement of time-barred mortgage loans. A time-barred mortgage loan is one where the statute of limitations has expired. The statute of limitations for mortgage loans are typically created by state law, and vary by jurisdiction. In some cases, they create an affirmative defense for the consumer that prohibits a debt collector from suing to collect the debt. … Continue Reading
CFPB releases voluntary report on October 2015 and subsequent HMDA Rule amendments
As previously reported, in June 2021 the CFPB announced that it would conduct a voluntary review of the significant amendments to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) rule adopted in October 2015, most of which became effective in January 2018. The CFPB also announced at the time that it was discontinuing planned HMDA rulemakings, one addressing the data points that must be collected and reported and one addressing the public disclosure of HMDA data. … Continue Reading
CFPB Analyzes Impacts of Higher Mortgage Interest Rates
The CFPB’s Office of Research recently issued a blog post regarding its analyses of the impacts of higher mortgage interest rates on borrowers and potential homebuyers. The analyses are based on first and second quarter Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data filed by the 55 mortgage lenders that are required, based on their high volume of mortgage lending, to collect and submit HMDA data on a quarterly basis. … Continue Reading
FHFA Announces 2023 Conforming Loan Limits
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) recently announced the conforming loan limits for residential mortgage loans acquired by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in 2023. Fannie Mae addresses the limits in Lender Letter 2022-06.
As was expected based on the significant increase in housing prices during 2022, the limits increased substantially. … Continue Reading
NCRC Files Appraisal Bias Complaints with HUD and Issues a Related Report
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) recently filed two complaints against appraisers with the Department of Housing and Urban Development asserting different treatment based on race in violation of the Fair Housing Act. One complaint asserts different service levels based on race, and the other asserts different home valuations based on race, with White individuals receiving better service or home valuations than Black individuals.… Continue Reading
VA Issues Proposed Refinance Loan Rule
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recently issued a proposal to update its rules for interest rate reduction refinancing loans (often referred to as “IRRRLs”) to conform with VA loan refinance provisions in the Economic Growth, Regulatory Relief, and Consumer Protection Act, which was enacted in 2018, and the Protecting Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act of 2019. … Continue Reading
CFPB Issues RFI on Mortgage Refinances and Forbearances
The CFPB recently issued a Request for Information Regarding Mortgage Refinances and Forbearances (RFI) Comments on the RFI will be due 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
In the release announcing the RFI, the CFPB states that the RFI “is an example of the CFPB’s new approach to promoting competition and new products.”… Continue Reading
HUD Provides New Flexibility For Calculating Effective Income for FHA Loan Applicants Affected by a COVID-19 Related Economic Event
In Mortgagee Letter 2022-09 dated July 7, 2022, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets forth new flexibility in underwriting guidelines for calculating effective income for Federal Housing Administration (FHA) insured loan applicants who incurred a reduction or loss in income as a result of a COVID-19 Economic Event. … Continue Reading
Divided Eleventh Circuit panel rules TILA-required monthly mortgage statements can constitute debt collection communications subject to FDCPA and Florida law
A divided panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit in Daniels v. Select Portfolio Servicing, Inc. held last week that monthly mortgage statements required under the Truth in Lending Act and Regulation Z can constitute communications in connection with the collection of a debt under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) and the Florida Consumer Collection Practices Act (FCCPA). … Continue Reading